Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Escaflowne: All you need is Love, Isn't it?
Chapter 59
Hitomi's Chamber
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The dreaming image of Van and her dancing round and round aboard the main deck of the Freya filled Hitomi's subconscious. She softly sighed as a wide smile spread across her face, even reaching her sleeping eyes. Suddenly a loud and annoying beeping sound chased this image away as her eyes sprang open. Squeezing them shut again, she moaned and pulled her pillow over her head. "It's too early." She groaned.
Her alarm continued to beep for several minutes as the teen tried her best to ignore its obnoxious noise. Because of the foggy state her mind was in, she was not sure if the faint sounds she was hearing were actual noises in her room or if it were just her subconscious playing tricks on her. Sounds like a door being opened and closed gently, soft footfalls across the floor, the muffled tapping on a plastic surface and what she later realized was a hushed meow gradually started to make sense to her but not soon enough to help her prevent Merle from sending her alarm clock flying across the room.
"MEOW!!" The catgirl's eyes went wide in shock.
Sitting up in an instant, Hitomi looked in the direction where the clock hit the wall. Pieces were everywhere. "Merle! You broke my clock!" The teen fumed.
"I'm sorry! But it wouldn't turn off. I didn't mean to break it. I just meant to knock it to the floor. I guess it's a lot lighter then I thought." She gave her friend an innocent grin as she clasped her hands together and held them next to her cheek.
"AAAAAHH!" Hitomi let herself fall back onto her bad again. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"It's time to go for our run, remember." Merle bounded over to the bed and sat down. "You said yesterday that no matter what, you were going for your run, because you're in training. Now come on, get up." The catgirl gave her friend a not so gentle shake.
"Okay! Okay! I'm up, I'm up!" The teen sat up but kept her eyes closed.
"You must have stayed out very late with Lord Van for you to be this tired." The catgirl grinned wickedly. "I guess you had a nice time last night."
Slowly Hitomi opened her eyes as a wide toothless smile spread across her lips. "It was wonderful. Van must be the most romantic man alive." She declared as she wrapped her arms around herself and sighed in complete contentment.
"Well, you can tell me all about it when we get back from our run, but now…" The feline grabbed the sheets and tossed them to the side then grabbed Hitomi by her ankles and pulled her legs over the side of the bed, "it's time to get up and get ready."
"Okay already!" Hitomi slid the rest of the way off the bed by herself. "I'm up already. Sheesh!"
"Hey, I'm just trying to help." Merle said as she folding her arms under her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.
"Well, if you really want to help, you can go and wake up Van while I get dressed." The teen said as she made her way over to the washbasin.
"Lord Van is going to run with us?" Merle smiled.
"Mmm hmm," The teen smiled. "He said he would last night. Of course, he may be too tired to join us today. So if he is, just let him sleep."
"Okay, but you should know, Lord Van is probably already up. He doesn't sleep much nowadays." Merle said as she sprang toward the door.
"He doesn't? Why not?" Hitomi wrinkled her brow.
Shrugging, the catgirl simply stated. "I don't know but he hasn't slept more then a few hours a night ever since the war." With that she added, "I'll meet you outside, with or without Lord Van." Then she was gone.
Changing into her workout clothes and deciding not to wear her warm-up outfit this day, Hitomi laced up her running shoes and grabbed her track shoes before heading for the door.
Merle sat at the foot of Van's bed with the look of utter amazement upon her face as she stared at the sleeping king. She couldn't help be smile as she observed his peaceful face.
"I don't think I've ever seen you look so totally at peace again, Lord Van, so totally… happy." She whispered as a smile crept its way across her lips as well. "I guess I just found another reason to love Hitomi. Anyone who can make my Lord Van this happy deserves to be loved." She gently slid off the bed and quietly made her way toward the door.
"Was there something you needed Merle?" A soft but authoritative voice said.
Stopping in her tracks, her face turning red with a since of guilt for waking her friend and king. The feline slowly turned around to face him. "Lord Van, you're awake." She smiled.
"It's alright Merle. I'm guessing you came to wake me so I can join you and Hitomi on her training?" He said as he sat up.
"Hmm, well yeah… but Hitomi said if you were too tired, just to let you sleep." She grinned.
"Well, since I'm up now, I suppose I'll join you. Can you give me a minute?" He gave her a half grin.
"Oh! Of course Lord Van, I'll be right outside." She said then quickly turned and headed out the door.
A few minutes later, Van exited his chambers wearing his signature red sleeveless shirt, loose fitting tan pants and his boots. "Okay, where to?" He asked.
"To the garden at the back of the castle." They walked side by side. "We have to stretch out first." Merle explained.
"Stretch out? Is that really necessary?" The young king asked.
"Of course Lord Van. Stretching out properly is important. It warms up the muscles before running to prevent injury."
"If you say so Merle." He gave her a sideways smile.
Hitomi was already busy stretching out. Still reliving the events of last night in her mind, she loosened up her muscles with a smile on her face, and when she spotted Merle and Van approach, her smile grew.
"Good morning Hitomi!" The young king called out.
"Good morning Van!" She replied.
"Hey, wait for me!" Merle yelled as she plopped down on the ground next to the teen and began stretching as well.
"So what exactly are you doing?" Van asked, putting his fist on his hip.
"It's important to properly warm up your muscles before running in order to prevent injury. Stretching is like a wake up call to the different muscles in you body." The smiling teen said.
"You better listen to her Lord Van. I spent half the day in bed yesterday because I didn't." Merle pronounced.
Shrugging indifferently, Van set down on the ground and began imitating the movements Hitomi was performing.
After about twenty minutes, the three got up and prepared to run. "So where exactly do you run?" Van asked.
"Well, yesterday, we ran to the port. There's a big open field next to it where I can do my sprints." Hitomi answered.
"Really? That's at least six hundred cubits from here. That's quite a distance." Van expressed genuine surprise.
"That's just the warm up." Merle boasted. "Wait till we get there." She turned and started running. "Come on! I'll set the early pace this time!" She yelled as she ran upright.
Grabbing her track shoes, one in each hand, Hitomi took off after her. "Come on Van! Don't be left behind!" She smiled as she turned around running backwards for a few steps before turning back around to follow her young friend.
Van shook his head and whispered. "What did I get myself into?" Then he started running after them.
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AN: First let me start off by saying thank you to everyone for your wonderfully supportive comments. I really do appreciate them. I'm so glad you enjoyed that last chapter. It was very special to me. And I'm glad that it showed.
Oh, before I forget, to those who don't know, S&M refers to the sexual fetish of Sadism and Masochism. A person who is a sadist is one who gains sexual pleasure from inflicting physical or emotional pain or abuse. A masochist is one who gains sexual pleasure from receiving physical or emotional pain or abuse.
From a few chapters earlier, Hitomi was teasing Van that she was not into this type of sexual fetish when Van suggested she could have him horse whipped if he failed to provide her with a romantic evening.
So what do you think? Will Hitomi have to break out the whip??? ^_^
I was going to make this chapter longer but after re-reading it, I decided this was a good stopping point for what will follow. If I continue on, it will go on for several pages and I won't end up updating till next week.
I'll try and break up what I have in mind so I'll be able to make at least one more update before Sunday.
I know this chapter is an emotional let down after the last chapter, but think of it as taking a series of long deep breaths before diving into the water again. ^_^
A. Amishi